Thief-trap



T. N. BURGHART.

THIEF TRAP. APPLICATION HLED JUNE 2e, |920.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921. 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

T. N. BURGHART THIEF TRAP. APPLICATION msn :um: 2e. 1920.

1,368,543. Patented Feb. 15,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEETZ- lia@ W I TNESSES:

gw i INVENTOR;

y 1 By.

THOMAS n. nnnenenr, or rntannnrnra, rnNNsYLvANIA- 'rarer-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb 15 1921' Application filed Tune 26, 1920. Serial N0. 392,114.

To all w lio/m, 'it may concern:

Be 1t known that 1, THOMAS N. Bonorian'r. a citizen ofthe United States, resid ing at Philadelphia, in the county ci Phila# delphia and State o 'liennsylvanim have in vented certain new and useful lmprovcf ments in Thief-Traps, ci which the follow-V ing is a specication. C

The main object o'lmy present invention is to prevent the theft oi automobiles.

Another object is to provide means for the above purpose which will be Operative, when an unauthorized person or thiei sits upon the drivers seat Oi an automobile, to cause a device to be released and automatically operate to grasp and securely hold the legs ci the thief to prevent his escape and thus enable the capture of the thiei.

Another object is to includeV an audible alarm which will operate when the automatic device is actuated so as to inform the owner oi the Vautomobile or other person that some unauthorized person has attempted to steal the vautomobile.

Another object'is to make the device of my invention of durable construction `and to provide means to render the device' inoperative when the owner of the automobile or other authorized person desires to use the same.

rilhese objects, and other advantageous ends which will be described hereinafter,

attain in the following manner, reim-ence being had to the accompanying drawings in which# .Figure 1 is a sectional` velevation oic an automobile seat showing my improved de vice in a position ready to catch a thief it he sits upon the seat,

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view talren on the line 2--2 oi Fig. 1,

nig. 3 is al view oi similar cnaracter to Fig. 2 showing the device in the act oi' cpr erating after a person has Vsat upon the seat,

Fig. l is a view Vot similar character to Figs. 2 and 3 showingthe device having been operated and in a position which it occupies when grasping and holding the legs o a thief, Y

Fic". 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the pivotal connection ot the grasping arms, a spring connection, and a hoolr for holding the arms against action by the spring,

a comparatively simple and- Fig; 6 is an enlarged fragmentary ele! vation of certain of the parts shown in Eig. 4, illustrating the grasping arms hav` ing been moved into an operative position by the release of the hook,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary@ plan view takenV on the line '7 --7 of Fig. land drawn on an enlarged scale,

F ig. 8 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of certain of the alarm elements, Y

Figi. 9 is adetached perspective view of the grasping arms and the spring for moving the arms together, and f Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the arm connecting yoke which l preferably employ.

Referring to the drawings, 11 represents a seat casing or boX which is mounted upon the iloor 12 Of an automobile and a box 1S having a cylindrical bore is'mounted within the casing 11 and secured to the floor "12 by any suitable means such for example as by the screws 13, A post 14 has a piston 15 on its lower end which slidably fits withinthe bore of the box 13.k A coiled spring 16 is positioned within the box 13 between the piston and the floor 12 and serves to hold the post 14 in a raisedposition such as shown in Fig. 1. A seat 17 includes a seat board 18 and a cushion 19. The upper end of the post 14 is secured to the bottom oi the seat board 18 and the top of the seat casing 111 is cut away to permit the seat to move downwardly when a person sits thereon and when the device is in a set position. The post 14 has a lug 2O thereon having its forward end turned upwardly 1n the form Oi" a hook adapted to engage under a hook 21 which extends rearwardly Jirons an eyelet 22 formed On the rear end of a grasping arm 23. Another grasping arm 24 has an eyelet 25 at its rear end and a pivot bolt 26 is adapted to extend through the eyelets 22 and 25 to form a pivot connection for the grasping arms 23 and 2li. A coiled spring 27 is adapted to be inserted within the eyelets 22 and 25 vand has its opposite ends respectively secured to said eyelets and is adapted under operative conditions to move the arms into the position shown in Fig. 4 after having been spread into the position shown in Fig. 3 during the operation of the device from its normal position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A yolre 28 has its arms pivot ally mounted on the pivot bolt 26 and Jforms a connection for a strong coiled spring 29; said sprintj at its forward end being connected to the front board 30 of the seat casing 11. rllhe grasping a`rms'23 and 24 are preferably made of hollow tempered steel so that while theyvare of comparatively light weight they are strong and cannot be readily broken. These arms 23 and 24 are curved as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 9 and have depending pins 31 between their ends which V-ri de in outwardly flared guide rails 32 which are supported in any convenient manner f 24y .torwardlyand the 'thereby heldlto the seat anc within the soace providedbfv theseat casino" l 1 er,

11'. ln the drawings I have shown for thisV purpose fixed supporting bars 32a. The front board 30 of, the seat'casing has two siets33outoi" which the front ends 34o? the grasping arms can be projected; said slots being of suiiicient width to permit the arms irstftobejmoved into a wide position and afterward movedltof spring gether `for example from the position shown in Fig.` 3 into the position shown in Fig. 4.

Y The spring 29 tends to move arms 23 and torsion spring 27 tends tov move the arms thek forward. ends 35 of the rails 32 stop short of the front board 30 and thereby tree the l grasping arms during their forward movement when the hook 21 is released from which action occurs when a perthe lug 2() son sits upon the seat 17 and thereby moves the post14 downwardly against theaction' that the lug 2O .moves downwardly from.

under-,the hook 21. "The spring 29v will move. the armsforwardly andthe outwardly flaring character off the guide rails 32'ini tially causes the i'ront ends oi the graspinv' arms to be spread and projected out- ^11 vwardly through the slots This action koccurs until the pins 31 move out or the iront ends 35 of the guide rails 32 and when thusreleased the torsion spring 27V will act to swing the arms into the position shown in Fig. 4 and thereby grasp the legs ot a person who has sat upon the seat and thc strength of the spring 27 is such as to pref vent` the legs orV the person from being voluntarily `withdrawn from between the grasping arms 23 and 24. The .person is cannot get away. y

The post 14 has a metallic extension 36 which, when lowered during the descent of the post 14, engages between twoA Contact lingers 37 and 38which are insulated from each other and connected by a wire 39 to battery or other electric generator 40 whichv `111g downwardly wh kwith the bolt 42 by together when permitted to do so by the rails 32; it being noted that make such changes 'ting upon said seat;

is in circuit with an electric bell 41 or other suitable electrically operated audible alarm device. Thus when the extension 36 engages between the lingers 37 and 38 an electric circuit is completed through the alarm device 31 so as to produce an audible alarm substantially simultaneous with the grasping action of the Varms 23 and 24.

s a means for preventing the operation of the device such for example as when the o-wner or an authorized 'person desires to use the automobile I provide a bolt 42 which isslidable in bearings 43a; said bolt having' a cut away or notched portion 43 which, when slid from Vunder a projection 44 on the post 14, will prevent the post 14 from moven aV person sits upon the seat 17. In order to prevent tampering an unauthorized per son I provide .the baclr'fboard 45. .ot the seat casing. 11l with adoor 46 Vwhichis locked by a c(or'bin, Yale or otherreco-gnized durable lock 47 this lock being adapted to be opened by a key held by, theowner of the automobile or other authorized person. Thus' access tot ic bolt 42 is only permitted to the proper person and when the` device is in a set lposition the notched portion 43 is moved under thev projection 44 so as to permit the descent of thepostfil when a person sits upon the seat 17. i

While I have describedmy invention as taking a particularv form, it will be understood that the various parts of my invention may be changed without departing` from the spirit thereof, and henceI do notV limit myself to theprecise construction set forth, but consider that I am at liberty to and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.`

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is u,

l. The combination of a depressive seat and means automatically operative upon the Y depression of the seat for grasping and securely holding the legs of a person sitting; upon the seat; substantiallyas described.-

2. The combination of a seat casing; a seat above said casing; grasping arms within said casing; means for engagement with said seat and adapted to normallyhold said grasping arms within the casing; and means automatically operative when said scatengaging means is operated due to a person sittingA upon the seat to release said arms and permit said auto-matic means to move said arms into a position out oi" the easing to grasp and hold the'legs of a person sitsubstantially as vdescribed.

,3 A device of the character described including a seat casing; a seat mounted above said casin 'g a post dependingvfrom said receptie seat into the casing; a spring` for holding said seat in a raised position; grasping arms mounted within said seat casing and'having a portion 'for engagement with the part on said post tor normally holding said arms in the casing; and means automatically operative when said arms are released from said post due to the downward movement thereof by a person sitting upon said seat to cause said arms to be projected out ci the casing and moved into a position to grasp the legs et a person sitting upon said seat; substantially as described.

Li. A device ot' the character described including a seat casing; a seat mounted above said casing; a post depending from said seat into `the casing; a spring for holding said sea, in a raised position; grasping arms mounted within said seat casing and having a portion i'or engagement with a part on said post for normally holding said arms in the casing; guiding means forv said arms; and means automatically operative when said arms are released 'from said post due to the downward movement thereof by a person sitting` upon said seat to cause said arms to be projected out of the casing and moved into position to grasp the legs ott a person sitting upon said seat, said guiding means having portions adapted to'ini'tially spread said arms during their outward movement and then permit them to swing toward each other; substantially as described.

5. n device ci the character' described including a seat casing; a seat mounted above said casing; a post secured to said seat and depending into the casing; a spring for holding said seat in a raised position; a hooked lug projecting pivotally connected together and having a hooi; 'tor engagement over and in baclr oi' said hoolred lug: and means automatically operative to move the 'forward ends ot said arms out oi? said casing and toward each other when said post is moved downwardly by a person sitting upon said seat to cause the Jiorward end portions of said arms to grasp and hold the legs ot a person sitting upon said seat; substantially described.

6. A device of the'character described in cluding a seat casing; a seat mounted above said casing; a post secured 'to said seat and depending into the easing; a. spring 'for holding said seat in a raised positionga hoolred lug projecting from said post; arms pivotally connected together and having a hook for Aengagement over and in back et said hooked lug; Guiding means having out- Yardly 'dared portions, said arms having' portions normally7 eoniined to Vsait'L guiding means; and means automatically operative to move the forward ends of said arms out oit said casing` and toward Veach other when said post is moved downwardly by a person sitting upon said seat to cause the forward from said post; arms end portions oi' said arms to grasp and hold the et a person sitting upon said seat, said lared portions oi'4 the guiding means serving to initiall spread the forward ends oi said arms prior to their movement toward each other whereby a wide spread is imparted to said outer ends of the arms to increase their grasping scope; substantially as described.

7. The combination oi? a depressive seat and means automatically operative upon the depression ot the seat for grasping and securely holding the legs oi a person sitting upon the seat; and means for rendering the action cit said automatic means inoperative; substantially as described.

8. The combination oit a seat casing; a seat above said casing; grasping arms within said casing; means for engagement with said seat and adapted to normally hold said grasping arms within the casing; means automatically operative when said seat-engaging means isV operated due to a person sitting upon the seat to release automatic means to move said arms into a position out of the casing to grasp and hold the legs o'i a person sitting upon said seat;

and means co-acting with said seat-engag ing means during its movement to effect the operation oi an audible ala un; substantially as described.

rThe combination ci a seat casing; a seat above said casing; grasping arms within said casing; means for engagement with said seat an d adapted to normally hold said grasping arms within the casing; means automatically operative when said seat-engaging means is operated due to a person sitting upon the seat to release said arms and permit said automatic means to move said armsinto a position out of the casing to grasp and hold the legs of a person sitting upon said seat; an electrically operative audible alarm device having a normally open circuit; and means cooperative with said seat-engaging means during the movement oi the latter produce an alarm; scribed.

l0. t device oi the character described including a seat casing; a seat mounted above said casing; a post depending from said seat into the casing; a spring Jor holding said seat in a raised position; grasping arms mounted within said seat casing and having a portion for engagement with the part on said post for normally holding said is in the casing; means automatically operative when saidV arms are released from said post due to the downward movement thereof by a person sitting upon said seat to cause said armste be projected out of the casing and moved into a position to grasp the legs of a person sitting upon said seat,

said post having` a projection; and a bolt substantially as desaid arms and permit said.

to close said circuit and confined Within said easing inclV having a name to this Specification in the presence 0i cut-away portion movable inte and out O two subseiibng Witnesses. the path of movement of said projection whereby the device is rendered selectively THOMAS N' BURGHART' operative 0i' inoperative; substantially as Witnesses: Y described. CHAS. E. PoTTs,A

ln testimony whereof have signed my AUGUSTUS B. COPPES. 

